Temporary connecting and applying device for automobile tire-chains.



J. A. STAPLES. TEMPORARY CONNECTING AND APPLYING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILETIRE CHAINS. I

APPLIOATION FILED 0013.5, 1912.

Patented Sept. 9, 1913.

JOHN A. STAPLES, OF N EWBURG-H, NEW YORK.

TEMPORARY CONNECTING AND APPLYING DEVICE 'IE'OR AUTOMOBILE TIRE-CH.AINS.

Specification ofLetters Patent. v

application filed October 5, 1912. Serial No. 724,086.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. STAPLES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newburgh, in the county of Orange and State of New York,have invented certain new and. useful Improvements in TemporaryConnecting and Applying Devices for Automobile Tire-Chains; and I dohereby declare the following to he a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will-enable others skilled in the artto whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described,reference being had to the accompanying drawing which shows oneembodiment of my invention selected by me for the purpose ofillustrating the invention and said invention is fully disclosed in thefollowing description and claims.

My invention relates to means for facilitating the application ofanti-skidding gripping devices, (which comprise a pair of parallel,circumferential flexible members, connected at suitable intervals bytransverse tread engaging members, and provided at their meeting endswith means for perma nently connecting said circumferential members,) tothe pneumatic or other resilient tires of-a motor vehicle. e In thepractical use of these anti-skidding gripping devices, which are usuallydesignated for convenience of reference tire chains consider abledifliculty is experienced in applying them to the tires of the vehicle,evenunder favorable conditions, as when the vehicle is supported upon alevel surface, as in a garage or on a piece of hard and lever road,owing largely to the fact that the portion 40 of the tire which engagesthe supporting surface is flattened, so as to constitute a portion ofconsiderable area and peripheral extent beneath which the tire chaincannot be carried and as the circumferential members of the chain areconsiderably shorter than the periphery of the tire the connections forsecuring the ends of said circumferential members cannot be united untilthe entire chain is applied, and the ends of said members can be drawninto close proximity. It is, therefore, customary in applyingt-hese tirechains to elevate one wheel of the vehicle at a ttime clear from theground or floor to enable the chain to be drawn entirely around thesame. In some cases the tire is partially deflated until the grippingPatented Sept. 9, 1913.

chain is placed in position and permanently secured, after which thetire is re-inflated. In some instances, the tire chain is placedpartially around the wheel and the vehicle is moved forward or backwardfar enough to bring the tire upon a portion of the chain between itsends, so as to permit the ends of the circumferential member-s to bepermanently united, and in some cases the chains are laid upon the flooror surface and the vehicle moved to bring the tire upon the centralportion thereof, when theend portions are brought around and secured. Asa matter of fact, under the most favorable conditions the application ofthese antiskidding devices is attended with considerable annoyance andloss oftime and the difficulties are vastly increased when as is moreoften the case, the tire chains must he applied on the road in badweather, when the tires are partially embedded in mud. Under theseconditions it is often impossible to move the vehicle, and it isfrequently difficult to use a lifting jack. As a consequence manyoperators of automobiles will take a considerable risk in driving overwet and slippery roads, rather than subject themselves to the delay, andannoyance of applying the anti-skidding devices.

The object of my invention is to provide temporary connecting means fortemporary application to the circumferential members of a tire chain, oranti-skidding gripping device of the kind described, which comprises ayielding member, and temporary attaching devices for engaging thecircumferential members forward and in rear of the portion of the tirewhich rests upon the ground, and on both the inner and outer sides ofthe wheel, to hold the gripping device firmly in place on the tire, andautomatically draw it taut and into correct position, so that thevehicle may be moved under power to bring the loose end portions of thegripping device into such a position as to permit the {permanentconnections with which the circumferential members are provided, to beunited, when the said temporary attaching devices will be removed. I

I ordinarily use a light spring construction for my temporary attachingdevices but I prefer to provide them with retaining means for limitingtheextent to which the devices may be extended to prevent thestrainingiof the springs, and to preclude the pneumatic tire, andshowing it as it would appear when supporting a portion of the weight ofa motor vehicle, the wheel having applied thereto-an anti-skiddinggripping device, held inplace by m improved temporary attaching'devices;ig. 2 is=a horizontal-section on line 22 Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a.

detail sectional view drawn to an enlarged scale, of one of my temporaryattachin'grdevices, detached.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, 1 represents a pneumatic or otherresilient tire mounted upon a wheel,' 2, the lower por-- tion of thetire being flattened at 1 as is the case when the weight of-the vehicleis resting upon the wheel, and the tire is supported on a flat levelsurface.

3, 3, represent the circumferential members of a tire chain, oranti-skidding gripping device, and 4, 4, represent the transverselydisposed tread engaging chains. Each of the circumferential chains isprovided with means for permanently connecting its ends together, whichmay be of any known or usual construction. In the drawing I haveindicated a connecting device, 5, of any'preferred form which isprovided at one end of each of the circumferential mem-' bers, 3, and isadapted to be-engaged with a link or ring at the other end of themember.

In the embodimentof my invention, selected by me for purposes ofillustration, and best illustrated in Fig. 3, 6 representsa lightcoil'spring, in this case an expansion spring, through the center ofwhich extends a nonexpansible guidingand limiting device, 7, provided ateach end beyond the coil, 6, with guiding portions, 8, formed in thisinstance by bending the end portions of the part 7 into a coil of smalldiameter. Through the guiding portions or coils 8 extend hook rods, 9,in opposite directions, the outer ends of said rods being provided withdetachable securing devices for engaging the circumferential members ofthe tire chain, preferably in the form of open hooks as shown. The innerend of each of said hook rods is provided with a stop, 11, adapted toengage the adjacent guiding portion, 8, when the hook is drawn outwardlyto limit the outward movement thereof. The inner ends of said hooks areconnected to the opposite ends of the light spring coil 6. Obviously ifthe hook rods 9, 9, are drawn in opposite directions they will expandthe spring, 6, the lost motionprovided between the hook rods 9 and thenon-expansible limiting device7 permitting a certain extent of yieldonthe part of the' spring, and if the pull on the said hooks is suflicientthe stops, 11, will be forced intoengagement with the guiding portions 8of the limiting device 7 and prevent the further expansion of the springthus reventing injury thereto and transferring t e tension on the hooksto the non-expansible device-7 thus preventing the device from extendingto such an extent as to permit the tire chain to slip around the tire,or to become detached therefrom. I do not, however, limit myself to theuse of an expansion spring nor to the exactdetails of constructionherein shown and described. It will be understood'that two of myimproved temporary attachin devices are pro vided and used incombination with each tire chain, that is to say, one for each of thecircumferential members thereof.

The manner of using the devices is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of thedrawing. The

tire chain, or anti-skidding gripping device is placed on the tire andthe ends of the circumferential members 3 are brought down ,to a pointnear the ground and drawn as taut as possible. Obviously the transverseor tread portions, 4, adjacent to the meeting .ends of thecircumferential members cannot be drawn under the flattened portion 1 ofthe tire, and this difiiculty is greatly enhanced if the tire isembedded in mud, as it frequently is, up to a point indicated by thedotted line w-m and in some cases even higher. The operator now takesone of the temporary connections illustrated in Fig. 3, and inserts thebook, 10, at one end thereof in the circumferential member, 3, on eitherthe inside or the outside of the wheel (and preferably the one on theinner side) as 'closelyadjacent to one end. thereof as will insure asubstantial draft longitudinally on saidmember, and then withoutmaterially expanding the spring, catches the other hook, 10, in saidmember adjacent to the other end thereof, so that the temporaryfastening device will occupy a position substantially horizontal. Theoperator then takes another of said temporary connections, and attachesone hook, 10, thereof in the other circumferential member, 3, and drawsthe tread members around the tread toward the outer side of the tire,thus expanding the temporary securing device on the inner, side, and theoperator then draws the other hook, 10, so as to expand the spring 6 andengages it with said circumferential member adjacent to its other end.The tire chain will then be adjusted on the tire in such manner as topractically distribute the strain on the temporary connections betweenthe two springs 6, 6, (see Fig. 2). Obviously both results can be.obtained in viously described.

It will be observed that after the tire chain has been secured by meansof the temporary securing devices, the lowermost transverse chains, ortread engaging members which engage the tire are usually not drawn quiteto their proper positions owing to the flattened portion of the tireresting on the ground and one or more of said tread portions will not bebrought into engagement with the tire at all, but will lie on the groundwith the free ends of the circumferential members. The tem orarysecuring devices will, however, hold the gripping device firmly inposition on the tire and when the vehicle is started will give tractionto the wheel, and as the wheel rotates and brings the portion of thetire adjacent to the temporary securing devices awayfrom the ground, thepull of the springs, 6, is

exerted on both the inner and outer circumferential members, and drawsthe tread engaging portions to their proper positions, and by stoppingthe vehicle with the free ends of the members, 3, at the upper partof-the wheel, the remaining tread port-ions can be placed in position onthe tire and the permanent connectors, 5, can be operated to permanentlysecure the entire gripping device in position. ,I prefer to release thetemporary connecting devices before applying the permanent connectors,5, so as to allow the meeting endsof the circumferential members to bedrawn together and the circumferential members stretched as tightly aspossible in securing the permanent connecting devices in position. Thiscan be readily accomplished by drawing the ends of the circumferentialmember on one side at a time into close proximity then releasing thetemporaryconnection and securing the ends together by the permanentconnection without permit-ting the gripping device to become disengagedfrom the tire. In case the traction on the gripping device, in starting, is sufficient to cause the lowermost tread engaging member, 4:, toslip on the tread of the tire, the springs,- 6, will yield to acertainextent, but if the strain becomes too great the stops, 11, will engagethe guides, 8, and limit the extension of the devices thus interposingan unyielding resistance ineach and holding the gripping devicepositively .to its work, thus preventing the gripping device fromslipping around the tire or becoming detached therefrom. In such case,as soon as the cause of the unusual tractional stress is passed over,the springs, 6, 6, will cause the gripping device to adjust itself tothe tire and will hold it in a selfadjusted position until the permanentconnections for securing the ends of the circumferential members aremade.

By using these temporary connect-in devices each of the tire chains, oranti-ski ding gripping devices can be applied to the tire and heldthereby in a few seconds, and the tire chains can be applied as easilyon the road and in bad weather as in a garage, thus greatly facilitatingthe use of such anti- .skiddin devices, by making it possible to apply tem simply, easily, and with but a V momentary interruption of the actualrunning, and enabling them to be applied where the driving wheel is indeep mud, under conditions in which .it is extremely difficult, if notimpossible, to ap 1y them without the use of my improved evices. Thusthe operator is able to quickly apply the chains where the vehicle isdeeply mired and pull out .of a piece of bad road, to a point where hecan find a better footing, where the permanent connections can be madefast, as the temporary securing devices will hold the tire chain inplace until removed therefrom.

My improved devices act like two extra pairs of hands in holding theloose ends of both the inner and .outer circumferential members of thegripping device in position until the wheel can be turned to a positionin which theremaining tread sections can be applied to'the tire and thecircumferential members permanently connected.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.-In combination with a tire gripping device provided withcircumferential members, transverse tread engaging members, andpermanent securing devices for connecting the ends of saidcircumferential members, means independent of said circumferentialmembers and the permanent securing devices therefor for temporarilyconnecting portions adjacent to the ends of said circumferentialmembers, on the inner and outer faces of the tire, across and'above theflattened portion of the tire in engagement with the road bed, tofacilitate thc application of the gripping'device to the tire.

2. In combination with a tire gripping device provided withcircumferential members, transverse tread engaging members, andpermanent securing devices for connecting the ends of saidcircumferential members, means independent of said circumferentialmembers and the permanent securing devices therefor for temporarily andyieldingly connecting portions adjacent to the ends of saidcircumferential members on the inner and outer faces of the tire acrossand above the flattened portion of the tire in engagement with the roadbed, to facilitate the pplication of the gripping device to the tire.

3. In combination with a tire gripping device provided withcircumferential members, transverse tread engaging members,

and permanent securing devices for con meeting the ends of saidcircumferential members, means for temporarily and yieldingly connectingportions adjacent to the ends of said circumferential.members on theinnerand outer faces of the tire across and above the flattened portionof the tire in engagement with the road bed to facilitate theapplication of the gripping device to the tire, and means for limitingthe extent of yield of said yielding temporary connecting means.

4. In combination with a tire gripping device provided withcircumferential members, transverse tread engaging members, andpermanent securing devices for connecting the ends of saidcircumferential members, temporary connections for said circumferentialmembers on the inner and outer faces of the tire provided at each endwith detachable securing devices for engaging said members adjacent totheir ends, adjacent to each end of the flattened portion of the tire inengagement with the road bed for facilitating the application of thegripping device to the tire, at least one of said temporary connectionsbeing provided with a yielding elastic member located between its saiddetachable securing devices.

5. In combination with a tire gripping device provided withcircumferential members, transverse tread engaging members, andpermanent securing devices for connecting the ends of saidcircumferential members, expansible temporary connecting devices for thecircumferential members on the inner and outer faces of the tire eachprovided with detachable securing devices for engaging thecircumferential members adjacent to their ends, adjacent to oppositeends of the flattened portion of the tire in engagement with the roadbed and means for positively limiting the expansion of the saidtemporary connecting devices.

6. In combination with a tire gripping device providedwith'circumferential members, transverse tread engaging members andpermanent securing devices for connecting the ends of saidcircumferential members, temporary connecting devices for thecircumferential members on the inner and outer faces of the tire, eachprovided with detachable securing devices for engaging thecircumferential members adacent to their ends at points adjacent toopposite ends of the flattened portion of the tire in engagement withthe ground, at least one of said temporary connecting devices beingprovided with a springconnected with its securing devices, said-securingdevices being also connected by a non-expansible device providing acertain amount of lost motion, for limiting the extent of yield of saidspring, and transferring the strain on its connected securing devicesdirectly to said non-expansible device.

7. In combination with a tire gripping device provided withcircumferential members, transverse tread engaging members and permanentsecuring devices for connecting the .ends of said circumferentialmembers, temporary connecting devices for the circumferential members onthe inner and outer faces of the tire, each provided with detachablesecuring devices forengaging the circumferential members adjacent totheir ends at pointsadjacent to opposite ends of the flattened portionof the tire in engagement with the ground, each of said temporaryconnections being provided with a spring connected with its securingdevices, and a non-expansihle device connecting its securing devices bymeans providing lost motion between them and said non-expansible member,for transferring the strain on the securing devices to thenon-expansible member when the spring has yielded to a predeterminedextent.

8. In combination with a circumferential member of a tire grippingdevice of the kind described, and the permanentconnecting means foruniting the meeting ends thereof, means independent of saidcircumferential member and the permanent con necting means therefor, fortemporarily connecting portions adjacent to the ends of saidcircumferential member across and above the flattened portion of thetire in engagement with the road bed, to facilitate the application ofthe gripping device to the tire, comprising a yielding member, andsecuring devices connected therewith for engaging the saidcircumferential member at points adjacent to its ends, at least one ofsaid securing devices being detachable.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN A. STAPLES.

Witnesses:

Pn'rnn Can'rmnn, I'IARRY L. WVnLLs.

